My Happy Ending

Julia Roth (Andie MacDowell) is an older Hollywood actress struggling to make a 'comeback'. She also has colon cancer. She is getting chemotherapy at a clinic outside of London to hide from the public. She is angry to have three roommates during treatment. Mikey (Sally Phillips) is a party girl and troubled mom. Judy (Miriam Margolyes) is a chemo veteran expecting good news. Imaan (Rakhee Thakrar) is a Muslim mother. Nancy (Tamsin Greig) is Julia's fixer manager.

This starts off poorly with a stereotypical clueless entitled Hollywood actress. Andie MacDowell should ask herself if she could ever be this character in real life. Everybody knows what stage 4 means. I get the writing premise of making Julia the worst version of herself so that she can grow. It's not the best part of the movie. The best part is simply four regular women talking about their lives. The movie gets there eventually, but they keep going back to overblown writing. I don't need a baby who survived the holocaust. This movie has its problem. When it's right, it has its heart in the right place.

The once famous actress Julia Roth checks into a UK hospital with stage 4 cancer, unable to get a private room, she encounters three women in a similar situation, very different people, united by cancer.

The lack of reviews and seriously low score don't make sense to me, it's a movie that may not be for everyone, but if you know what to expect, it's quite a powerful movie.

The highlight, the acting, there are genuinely some wonderful acting performances in this film, it works so well because of that, the star quality of Andie MacDowell in particular, she's wonderful, and as dazzling as ever.

I'd hoped for a few more laughs, there are a couple, but they're few and far between.

It's very moving, the kind of film that will make you tear up, essentially it shows how different people deal with cancer, clearly there's no right or wrong way.

Well acted, powerful, moving, it's a deep watch, arguably it could have been a little more amusing, but I enjoyed it.

7/10.

Cancer touches so many lives in unique ways and this film captures four individual journeys.

Told in almost real time as the events unfold Julia Roth (Andie MacDowell) arrives at a clinic to begin chemotherapy. She finds three woman in midst of their treatments. They recognise her face for her celebrity but also her pain as their own. Her rollercoaster of emotions coming to terms with the gravity of her diagnosis is understood and forgiven as they have all been there before and they welcome her with open arms to share in their coping mechanisms.

The film is beautifully shot and edited to tell a very real heartfelt story. The use of comedy is not to entertain the audience or even lift the somber mood. It is simply there because life always has its comedic moments. When things are at their worst we always try to find some humour in the situation because without it what would life be?

For me the stand out performances were from Sally Phillips and Miriam Margolyes. Rakhee Thakrar played her character so naturally she could have been a real patient on the ward.

I think this film is told in a true, respectfully representative way for the people who are daily facing cancer, without overly dramatising it. Which I think takes true skill.

Fist off, I have leukemia and so many things in this movie really hit home. Andie MacDowell nailed the part as did the rest of the cast im my opinion. I have seem so many new patients going through the same things. When you get the diagnosis, it's like your brain can't cope with the flood of information for the first little while. AND people rush to give you THEIR opinion on what you should do. Plenty told me not to stop treatment, but quality of life is the issue and one thing I learned is that cancer can rob you of who you are unless you fight to be the person you have always been despite all the pressures of the disease et al. This is an important movie and from my experience, very real.

My Happy Ending is a film that tries to be a heartwarming and humorous story about four women who bond over their cancer treatments in a hospital. Julia (Andie MacDowell) is a famous actress who is diagnosed with breast cancer and has to deal with her fading career and cheating husband. Judy (Miriam Margolyes) is an elderly Jewish woman who has terminal lung cancer and wants to make peace with her estranged son. Mikey (Sally Phillips) is a rebellious punk rocker who has ovarian cancer and refuses to give up her lifestyle. Imaan (Rakhee Thakrar) is a young Muslim woman who has leukemia and struggles with her conservative family.

The film, directed by Tal Granit and Sharon Maymon, based on a play by Anat Gov, fails to deliver on its premise. The film is full of stereotypes, contrivances, and melodrama, without any subtlety or nuance. The film also lacks any real humor or emotion, relying on cheap jokes and sentimental music. The film does not explore the complex issues of cancer, mortality, identity, or friendship in any meaningful way.

The film's only redeeming quality is the cast, who try their best to bring some life to their characters. MacDowell, Margolyes, Phillips, and Thakrar have some chemistry and charisma on screen, but they are wasted by the poor script and direction. The supporting actors are also underused or miscast.

My Happy Ending is a film that should have been better than it was. It is a film that squanders its potential and its talent.